Keep feeding those birds during the snowy weather



Two newbies here now the winter is setting in, goldfinches popping in every lunchtime, regular as clockwork. They're bossing the army of tits. :)
Jon Dough said:
It's taken a month of hard weather mick, fed daily, thick snow on the ground,in Canada, the ones I want on my hands are cardinals and blue Jay's, both come to feed but are super wary.
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British Jays are notoriously shy, you're doing well mate.
 
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Hadn't seen the male and female blackbirds that come to my garden in a couple of months. They appeared this week, sitting on the fence, looking up at the kitchen window, making that tut tut tut noise demanding the sultanas I feed them. Cheeky buggers went awol for months and the first frosty morning they reappear :lol:
 
Time to resurrect the post.
Cold snap - help our feathered friends now the last of the berries are almost gone.

Suet pellets the favourite at the moment and getting through a bag a day.
15 Blackbirds at once on the lawn this Morning.

Anyway for those that want to know.
Our Domestic Male Blackbirds are black with a prominent yellow beak.
The European Male Blackbirds Black, with a pale beak.
The hens are lighter brown in colour.
This year all domestic males in the garden and yet to see a European migratory Male blackbird. Last year loads and likely due to the snow.
 
Swindon On Tour said:
Time to resurrect the post.
Cold snap - help our feathered friends now the last of the berries are almost gone.

Suet pellets the favourite at the moment and getting through a bag a day.
15 Blackbirds at once on the lawn this Morning.

Anyway for those that want to know.
Our Domestic Male Blackbirds are black with a prominent yellow beak.
The European Male Blackbirds Black, with a pale beak.
The hens are lighter brown in colour.
This year all domestic males in the garden and yet to see a European migratory Male blackbird. Last year loads and likely due to the snow.
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I've had a couple of great tits in the garden today (oo er missuss) surely they can't be pairing off already can they ?
 
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DisillusionedOldGit said:
I've had a couple of great tits in the garden today (oo er missuss) surely they can't be pairing off already can they ?
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Definitely mate, they are already claiming their territory and in song.
Last weekend our resident pair of Nuthatches were in the hole in the tree where they raised their brood last year.
Stood outside with the coffee watching them.

All the nest boxes I put up in the village are cleaned out. They roost in these as well as nest.
 
Swindon On Tour said:
Definitely mate, they are already claiming their territory and in song.
Last weekend our resident pair of Nuthatches were in the hole in the tree where they raised their brood last year.
Stood outside with the coffee watching them.

All the nest boxes I put up in the village are cleaned out. They roost in these as well as nest.
Click to expand...

I only seem to be able to attract Woon Pigeons Blackbirds and Sparrows into my garden, despite putting seed in 2 feeders, bread and seed on the ground and fat balls in a feeder.

Got a box on the wall at the back of the house, high up and it only attracts Sparrows. Put 2 more boxes up on the gable end 2 yrs ago. The one with a larger hole gets Sparrows in, but the one with a smaller hole for tits has had zero, despite hanging a fat ball feeder under it. Gable end boxes arent close together.

Any advice on how to attract Bluetits and the like, there are plenty about.
 
socrates said:
I only seem to be able to attract Woon Pigeons Blackbirds and Sparrows into my garden, despite putting seed in 2 feeders, bread and seed on the ground and fat balls in a feeder.

Got a box on the wall at the back of the house, high up and it only attracts Sparrows. Put 2 more boxes up on the gable end 2 yrs ago. The one with a larger hole gets Sparrows in, but the one with a smaller hole for tits has had zero, despite hanging a fat ball feeder under it. Gable end boxes arent close together.

Any advice on how to attract Bluetits and the like, there are plenty about.
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Keep food away from the nest box, the worst thing you can do.
North facing hole and away from predators. Birds feel confident if the nest box feels safe and away from ledges or where cats can get to.
Bastard cats, get rid of them with a few stones ;)

Hope you are doing well mate and the pain is easing.
 
Swindon On Tour said:
Keep food away from the nest box, the worst thing you can do.
North facing hole and away from predators. Birds feel confident if the nest box feels safe and away from ledges or where cats can get to.
Bastard cats, get rid of them with a few stones ;)

Hope you are doing well mate and the pain is easing.
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Unfortunately I dont have any North facing walls and the two new boxes are on South facing walls inaccesible to cats. I'll take your advice about food though.

Thanks for asking, the pain is easing but there's not a day goes by without thinking of him. Empty house and a big hole in my life where he used to be. But life goes on.
 
socrates said:
Unfortunately I dont have any North facing walls and the two new boxes are on South facing walls inaccesible to cats. I'll take your advice about food though.

Thanks for asking, the pain is easing but there's not a day goes by without thinking of him. Empty house and a big hole in my life where he used to be. But life goes on.
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Mate I know, feel your pain.
Wish I was closer.

You still could get lucky with those nest boxes 👍
Will be in the same place when I lose my best friend.
 
In the early hours there is a surprising amount of ’bird song’ at 1 to 3 am, thought it would be too cold for them in winter ;)
 
Swindon On Tour said:
Definitely mate, they are already claiming their territory and in song.
Last weekend our resident pair of Nuthatches were in the hole in the tree where they raised their brood last year.
Stood outside with the coffee watching them.

All the nest boxes I put up in the village are cleaned out. They roost in these as well as nest.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes . It's January, freezing cold and I live well above the 1000 ft contour . Pleased I put the bird stopper in one of the chimneys earlier in the week. The f******* jackdaws will be up to their tricks soon .
 
Jon Dough said:
Been out today feeding.
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Superb.

Still doing my daily routine.
My tame Pheasant has avoided the foxes by roosting in the tree. Waits for me every Morning to get fed.

Unbelievable the amount of birds right now.
Emptying the bird table and feeders daily. Never a second without a bird in sight.
This Morning 18 Blackbirds on the ground suet pellets.

Spring is on its way.
Song Thrush is singing, Nuthatches have taken up their hole in the tree to nest in again this year and nest boxes are being selected by both blue and great tits.
Cleaned out the owl nest boxes last week as the Jackdaws have piled sticks in them :)
 
Put a couple of feeders out. They haven't been touched. I live on a new build estate so none of the gardens have got any foliage yet. I hardly see any birds. Not sure what else I can do.
 

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